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Overview

Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he's not doing it.

And no one seems to believe him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

Gabriel can't let her guess about his brothers, about his abilities, about the danger that's right at his heels. But there are some risks he can't help taking.

Read an Excerpt

Spark

K TEEN BOOKS

Chapter One

Gabriel Merrick stared at the dead leaf in his palm and willed it to burn.

It refused.

He had a lighter in his pocket, but that always felt like cheating. He should be able to call flame to something this dry. The damn thing had been stuck in the corner of his window screen since last winter. But the leaf only seemed interested in flaking onto his trigonometry textbook.

He was seriously ready to take the lighter to that.

A knock sounded on his bedroom wall.

"Black," he called. Nicky always slept late, always knocked on his wall to ask what color he was wearing. If he didn't, they ended up dressing alike.

Gabriel looked back at the leaf—and it was just that, a dead leaf. No hint of power. Behind the drywall, electricity sang to him. In the lamp on his desk, he could sense the burning filament. Even the weak threads of sunlight that managed to burn through the clouds left some trace of his element. If the power was there, Gabriel could speak to it, ask it to bend to his will.

If the power wasn't, he had nothing.

His door swung open. Nick stood there in a green hoodie and a pair of khaki cargo shorts. A girl on the cheer squad had once asked Gabriel if having a twin was like looking in a mirror all the time. He'd asked her if being a cheerleader was like being an idiot all the time—but really, it was a good question. He and Nick shared the same dark hair, the same blue eyes, the same few freckles across their cheekbones.

Right now, Nick leaned on a crutch, a knee brace strapped around his left leg, evidence of the only thing they didn't share: a formerly broken leg.

Gabriel glanced away from that. "Hey."

"What are you doing?"

Gabriel flicked the leaf into the wastebasket beneath his desk. "Nothing. You ready for school?"

"Is that your trig book?"

"Yeah. Just making sure I told you the right assignment."

Gabriel always attempted his math homework—and then handed it over for Nick to do it right. Math had turned into a foreign language somewhere around fifth grade. Then, Gabriel had struggled through, managing Cs when his twin brought home As. But in seventh grade, when their parents died, he'd come close to failing. Nick started covering for him, and he'd been doing it ever since.

Not like it was a big challenge. Math came to Nick like breathing. He was in second-year calculus, earning college credit. Gabriel was stuck in trigonometry with juniors.

He was pretty frigging sick of it.

Gabriel flipped the book closed and shoved it into his backpack. His eyes fell on that knee brace again. Two days ago, his twin's leg had been broken in three places.

"You're not going to make me carry your crap all day, are you?" His voice came out sharp, nowhere near the light ribbing he'd intended.

Nick took it in stride, as usual. "Not if you're going to cry about it." He turned toward the stairs, his voice rising to a mocking falsetto. "I'm the school sports hero, but I can't possibly carry a few extra books—"

"Keep it up," Gabriel called, slinging the backpack over his shoulder to follow his brother. "I'll push you down the stairs."

But he hesitated in the doorway, listening to Nick's hitching steps as he descended the staircase, the creak of the banister as it supported his weight.

Gabriel knew he should help. He should probably be taking the place of that crutch. That's what Nick would do for him.

But he couldn't force himself through the doorway.

That broken leg had been his fault. Thank god Nick could pull power from the air, an element in abundance. He probably wouldn't even need the brace by the end of the week.

And then Gabriel wouldn't need to stare at the evidence of his own poor judgment.

He and his brothers had always been targeted for their Elemental abilities. Being pure Elementals, they should have been put to death as soon as they came into their powers. Luckily, their parents had struck a deal with the weaker Elementals in town.

A deal that had led to their parents' deaths.

Their oldest brother, Michael, had been able to keep the deal in place—until a few weeks ago, when Tyler and Seth, two of the other Elemental kids in town, had attacked Chris. It started a snowball of events that led to an Elemental Guide coming to town to do away with the Merrick brothers for good.

He'd almost succeeded, too. After the Homecoming dance, they'd been attacked.

They'd fought back the only way they knew how. But Gabriel had let Nick call storms that were too strong. He'd begged his twin for more power. When Nick fell, the accident had practically shattered his leg—if they weren't full Elementals, he probably would have needed surgery.

That night, Gabriel couldn't keep him safe. The Guide had kidnapped Nick and Chris, had held them prisoner.

Becca and Hunter had found them. But Gabriel couldn't do anything. Ineffective and out of control, just like always.

But now they were safe, and things were back to normal. Nick was his usual self. Life's good. Move on. No use complaining. He hadn't even said a word about what had happened on the field.

As far as Gabriel was concerned, he didn't need to.

Just like with math, Nick was used to his twin being a failure.

Gabriel pulled onto Becca Chandler's street and glanced in the rearview mirror at his younger brother. Chris was chewing on his thumbnail, leaning against the window.

"Nervous?" said Gabriel.

Chris looked away from the window and glared at him. "No."

Nick turned in his seat. "Make sure you open the door for her. Girls eat that crap up."

"Nah," said Gabriel. "Play it cool. Make her work for it—"

"For god's sake," Chris snapped. "She just broke up with Hunter, like, yesterday, so it's not like that. Okay?"

Jesus. Someone was worked up. Gabriel glanced back again. "But she asked you for a ride."

Chris looked back out the window. "I offered."

Nick turned his head to look at his twin. "Very nervous," he whispered.

Gabriel smiled and turned into Becca's driveway. "Very."

"Would you two shut up?"

Becca was waiting on the front step, her arms around her knees and her hands drawn up into the sleeves of a fleece pullover, dark hair hanging down her back.

"She looks upset," said Nick.

She did, her eyes dark and shadowed, her shoulders hunched. Or maybe she was just cold. Gabriel wasn't one for figuring out emotion.

Her face brightened when she saw them, and she sprinted for the car almost before Chris had time to jump out and hold the door for her.

She stopped short in front of him, spots of pink on her cheeks. "Hey," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Hey," Chris said back, his voice soft and low.

Then they just stood there breathing at each other.

Gabriel hit the horn.

They jumped apart—but Chris punched him in the shoulder when he climbed back into the car.

Becca buckled her seat belt. "I'm glad you're all here."

Her voice was full of anxiety. So Nick had been right.

Chris shifted to look at her. "You all right?"

She shook her head. "My dad just called. He wants to meet with me. Tonight."

No one said anything for a moment, leaving her words floating in the warm confines of the car.

Her dad was the Elemental Guide who'd been sent to kill them all.

When they escaped and didn't hear anything for two days, they'd all started to think he'd run off again, the way he had when Becca was eleven.

Chris took a breath, and his voice was careful. "Do you want to meet with him?"

Gabriel glanced at her in the rearview mirror. She was practically hunched against the door, staring out the window. "I want him to get the hell out of here."

Chris was still watching her. "He is your father." He paused. "You sure?"

"He might have made a 'contribution,' but that man is not my father."

"I want to see him," said Gabriel. His shoulders already felt tight.

She hesitated. "Wait. You'd ... go with me?"

"Yeah. I owe him a little payback."

"We," said Nick. There was heat in his voice, too.

"Did he say why he wanted to meet?" asked Chris.

"He said he wants to help us. That they'll send another Guide if he doesn't report back that you were ... um ..."

"Killed." Gabriel hit the turn signal at the end of her road.

She swallowed. "Yeah. Hey, make a left. We need to pick up Quinn."

Gabriel glanced at her again. He wasn't a big fan of Becca's best friend, so the last thing he wanted to do was pick her up— especially when there was so much left to talk about. "Anyone else?" he said. "Should I pick up Hunter, too?"

Becca faltered and glanced at Chris. "I'm sorry ... I should have asked—"

"It's fine," he said, and Gabriel could feel his youngest brother's eyes in the rearview mirror. "I'm sure he's not intentionally being a dick."

Gabriel ignored him. "What time tonight? Did he say where?"

"Annapolis Mall. Eight o'clock. Make a right at the stop sign. She's down at the end of the block."

"He wants to meet at the mall?" said Nick.

"Food court," said Becca. "I told him it had to be somewhere public."

"Great," said Gabriel. "More people in the line of fire."

"Do you think the mall was a mistake?" said Becca.

Gabriel shrugged. Her father hadn't hesitated to put normal people in danger last week.

But really, what difference did it make?

They were pulling alongside the curb, and Quinn threw open the door and launched herself inside. Blond hair was caught inside her jacket, and her backpack was barely zipped. Notebooks spilled onto the floorboards before she could get the door shut.

"Jesus, drive," Quinn said, hitting the back of his seat. "God, I hate my mother."

She was just so frigging overdramatic. Gabriel pulled the car away from the curb, deliberately moving as slowly as possible.

But Nick turned his head to look at her over his shoulder. "Everything all right?"

Quinn shoved the notebooks back into her bag and yanked the zipper. "I'm stuck living with Satan. When's the car situation going to improve, Bex? I can't keep doing this."

Nick was still looking into the backseat. "We can keep driving you to school, if you need a ride."

Quinn stopped fighting with her things and looked up at him. "Really?"

"We'd love it," said Gabriel, making sure his sarcasm carried an edge. "Maybe we can pick up half the junior class."

"What is with you?" said Chris.

"Don't worry," said Quinn. "I already know he's an ass."

"Love you, too," said Gabriel.

But Nick grinned. "You can tell us apart?"

"Please. When you're talking, there's no challenge." She punched the back of Gabriel's seat again.

He glared at her in the rearview mirror. "What are you, six years old?"

"Oh, you don't like that? What about this?" She licked her finger and stuck it in his ear.

He smacked her hand away. He'd never punched a girl, but she might be the first.

Becca laughed. "Quinn has two brothers."

"I know all the ways to irritate a boy," Quinn said.

Gabriel snorted. "I don't doubt that one bit."

Chapter Two

The day started with U.S. History and English, two classes Gabriel couldn't give a crap about. He kept thinking about Becca's father, how they were going to sit in the food court and have a conversation with the guy.

Now her father wanted to help. Yeah, right.

The Homecoming dance wasn't the first time the Guide had nearly killed them. Gabriel could still remember the explosion that had taken out the bridge two blocks from school—and almost killed Gabriel. The fire hadn't hurt him, but concrete didn't make for a soft landing.

And then there was the way the Guide had attacked them on the soccer field. The way he'd taken Nick, broken leg and all.

The way Gabriel hadn't been able to stop him.

His pencil snapped in his hand.

The fluorescent lights flickered and buzzed, making the teacher pause in her lecture and glance up.

Gabriel took a deep breath. He needed to get a handle on his temper before he set the whole school on fire.

Chris and Nick were lucky. Chris could carry a bottle of water with him and be close to his element. And Nick—hell, air was everywhere. He'd have a harder time getting away from it. Even Michael spent his days playing in the dirt, perfect for an Earth Elemental.

Natural energy was all around. But it was weak. Controlled. Filtered sunlight, electrical wiring contained behind layers of rubber and plastic. All it did was make him crave more—and Gabriel couldn't exactly walk around with a candle.

Third period: Trigonometry. Gabriel felt his shoulders tighten as he walked through the doorway. Mr. Riley, their wiry teacher, wasn't at his desk yet, but Gabriel dropped his homework in the basket and made his way to the third seat in his row. He usually spent this hour riding a line of tension to make sure he didn't get called on. This was a junior-level class, but luckily he sat next to that advanced sophomore chick who raised her hand for just about every question. Gabriel pulled his notebook out of his backpack, but he'd snapped his only pencil in English.

Not like it mattered. What was he going to do, doodle?

Taylor Morrissey, another senior stuck in here, sat on the desk in front of him, her feet on the chair. Blond hair swung over her shoulder and perfectly accented her chest. Her skirt was so short it flared around her on the desk and put Gabriel at eye level with just about everything.

He knew she'd be giving the same show to any guy around, but it was tough to look up from that. "Hey, Taylor."

"You going out for basketball this week?"

"Don't I always?" Sports were his one saving grace, the only reason he bothered to keep his grades up. Being active took the edge off, let him run down energy that looked for things to burn in other ways.

Taylor leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees and giving him a clear view down her shirt, too. "Me and the other girls are going to think up something special for the seniors this year." She looked at him from under her lashes. "Any ideas?"

Usually, he could do this banter stuff all day. But he was already exhausted from plotting to destroy Becca's father, and he didn't feel like playing. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

She frowned a little, then flipped her hair. "Heather's parents are going away this weekend, and we're thinking of having a little party after the tryouts. They've got that hot tub, and it's just getting cold enough to use the fire pit...."

Fire. The thought was more alluring than anything she was showing off. "Count me in," he said.

Now she smiled, but it looked a little feral, the way a cat might smile at a trapped mouse. "Maybe you could—" She broke off and glanced sideways, her voice sharpening to a point. "Do you mind?"

Gabriel glanced right. That sophomore jerked her eyes back to her paper, her cheeks flushed. "Sorry."

"Ohmigod," Taylor whispered, leaning in conspiratorially. "She was totally staring at me. What a freaking lesbo."

Sharp heels clicked into the classroom, a tall woman in a business suit bustling through the door to drop a briefcase on the desk. Dark hair was pulled into an honest-to-god bun, and it wasn't doing her face any favors.

"Sorry, class," she said. "I'm Ms. Anderson, and I'll be filling in for Mr. Riley. This school is a maze—" Her eyes fell on Taylor, who was practically straddling the desk. "Maybe we could all take our seats?"

Taylor heaved a sigh and climbed off the desk, making a show of sliding into her chair.

Gabriel slouched in his own. At least they'd watch a movie or get a free period or something.

"Since Mr. Riley's mother is ill," Ms. Anderson said, "this might be a long-term solution, so if you're looking forward to a free period ..."

Now Gabriel heaved a sigh.

"I think we'll start with a pop quiz," said Ms. Anderson. "So

I can get a feel for where you all are—"

Gabriel froze.

"We just had a test last week," whined Andy Cunningham, rocking back in his chair.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 8 Up—Spark revisits the wonders of blossoming young love with a twist. Gabriel Merrick has a destructive streak, ruining every positive aspect of his life. Gabriel, his friends, and his family are Elementals: they each harness some control over a natural element. Fire, the most volatile, calls for Gabriel to come and play. After trying to recover from his last screwup with the Guides, which seriously injured his twin brother, Nick, he grapples with the task of regulating his abilities in a safe environment while trying to graduate from high school. Amid these supernatural and real-life issues is beautiful Layne, the inconspicuous girl who sits next to him in math, his worst subject. He has more in common with her than he realizes. Their romance is well developed and gradual, though it takes place over a span of two short weeks. Kemmerer uses straightforward yet precise voices for her characters; each one is distinct and realistic, each emotion resonating. The conclusion is the author's playlist, allowing readers to connect the personalities, passions, and positions with more than mere words.—Jamie-Lee Schombs, Loyola School, New York City

School Library Journal

Enjoyable and as illogical as is dictated by paranormal-romance conventions, round two of The Elemental Series is set apart by its focus on the viewpoint of the guy. Following Becca and Chris' showdown with the Guide sent to kill the Merrick brothers in the first of the series, Storm (2012), Gabriel Merrick, one of the twins, here explores his connection to fire, which is reflected in his quickness to act and to anger. Quite athletic, Gabriel has opted to let his twin Nick cover for him in math, a strategy that works until a new and more demanding teacher shows up. Layne is a quiet girl who tries to go unnoticed, but by observing Gabriel's academic struggles, she connects with him, even as her father wants her to avoid boys completely; her deaf younger brother, Simon, is almost her only ally. Gradually, both Layne and Gabriel share the spotlight in this third-person tale. Clearly, fire is the unifying theme, and blazes appear with horrifying regularity as events reveal Gabriel's need to control his power. A lively romance blossoms, despite the usual absurd misunderstandings and defenses of the protagonists. The plot is fairly predictable, but the characters have slightly more depth and are more interesting than many in the genre, as it takes more than special powers to face their internal challenges. For more discerning fans of the genre and those who enjoyed the previous title. (Paranormal romance. 11-15)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Gabriel Merrick is not your typical high school senior. Sure, he goes to
classes, plays school sports and argues with his three brothers, one of
which is his identical twin, but he has an unusual connection to fire.
He's drawn to fire. Fire speaks to him. He just can't control it...yet.
But that's not his only problem. Lately several houses have been
torched, and firefighter personnel think he might be involved. Witnesses
claim to see someone fitting his description at those fires. And then
there's quiet Layne, who sits near Gabriel in pre-Calculus class. She's
a bright sophomore who tries to hide behind turtlenecks and baggy
clothes to protect a secret of her own. Somehow Gabriel's always around
to rescue her deaf brother, Simon, when he's bullied and abused by a
mean jock. Though afraid of his inability to control his element of
fire, Gabriel won't share his fears with anyone. Unless he confides in
someone soon, he might not only lose the very person who understands him
most, he stands to jeopardize his freedom too. This is an excellent
addition to the Elemental Series. Loads of action, great dialogue, and
layered, well-developed characters kept me reading and enjoying this
quick-paced story. If you liked the first book of the series (STORM),
then you'll definitely love SPARK !!! I was thrilled to be given a
copy of this book by the author, but I did not let this kindness get in
the way of an honest review. I enjoyed SPARK and think anyone who likes
the YA paranormal subgenre will too.

susie_d

More than 1 year ago

Holy awesomeness, this book was amazing!!
Being able to control fire isn't exactly easy for Gabriel Merrick. He is addicted to it and can't stay away from it. Unfortunately for him, there is an arsonist in town and his brothers suspect he may have something to do with it. Unable to turn to his brothers with his problems in math, Gabriel finds himself seeking help from Layne, a sophomore in his math class. She tries to blend in, but ends up being bullied by the other girls in class. He works hard to hide his secret from Layne, but at the same time, she has secrets of her own.
Gabriel has a short temper and has a habit of ending up in fights. Layne is quiet and smart and stronger than she realizes. Though they are different, I could not help but root for them to get together.
Spark is full of humor, action, and romance. I really enjoyed it, and can't wait for the next book in the series!

Some_Reading_Required

More than 1 year ago

Reading Spark was like falling in love all over again, with the
Elemental series storyline and even more importantly, with the Merricks.
You can clearly see where my priorities lie Although we got a decent
introduction to Gabriel Merrick in book one, Spark takes us on a deeper
journey into the inner workings and musings of our favorite pyro.
Gabriel is hot-tempered and unpredictable, much like the flames that he
has the ability to manipulate. He&rsquo;s very &ldquo;fists flying&rdquo; first,
&ldquo;thinking&rdquo; second. I was initially worried about Spark. After completely
loving Storm book one, I feared that a complete character POV switch
would leave me either bored or let down. That was not the case! I loved
Spark SO MUCH. Perhaps even more than Storm!! (haven&rsquo;t fully decided
yet&hellip;) So my initial thought and the accumulation of the review to come
is this: If you loved Storm than you sure as heck will LOVE Spark. And
well, if you didn&rsquo;t particularly love Storm (there&rsquo;s something wrong
with you! HAHA just kidding&hellip; maybe) there&rsquo;s still a good chance you&rsquo;ll
love Spark regardless. Although set in the same world and around the
same characters, the atmosphere and overall story is just completely
different and intriguing due to Gabriel&rsquo;s and newcomer, Laney&rsquo;s POV. You
really get a different look at the Merrick brothers &ndash; Nick, Gabriel,
Michael and Chris along with the other characters introduced in Storm.
Plus! There&rsquo;s a whole sleuth of new characters to love and get invested
in. Out of all the Merrick brothers, I think Gabriel has suffered the
most. There may have been various incidents caused by all four Merricks
brothers that led to their parent&rsquo;s tragic death, but in the end it was
Gabriel&rsquo;s uncontrollable emotions and rampant fire that killed them.
Between guilt over his parent&rsquo;s death, disfunction and overall
disagreements with his brothers and consistent struggles in math class,
Gabriel has more than enough fuel to feed the emotional fire in his
mind. On a daily basis he struggles to keep his temper down and not
unintentially cause his surrounding to go up in flames. His one solace
has always been his twin brother, Nick affectionately known as &ldquo;Nicky&rdquo;.
However, after a silly fight the two are at odds for a good chunk of the
book leaving Gabriel feeling truly alone. Then enters Hunter. In Storm
Hunter never truly made a great impression with the Merricks due to
certain circumstances (that I won&rsquo;t spoil). I really enjoyed the new
interaction between Hunter and Gabriel along with their budding
bromance. I never in my wildest dream thought that these two would so
much as become friendly acquaintances, so you can imagine my surprise
when they truly begin to hit it off. We&rsquo;re talking regular xbox
sessions, daily jogging and general hanging out. Spark was a fabulous
book. Not only did we get a continuation of the story we loved SO much
in Storm we also got a better look at who Gabriel truly is. Although
from the surface he seems ill-mannered, hot-tempered, and overall jerky
(which he definitely is at times) there&rsquo;s more to him. He&rsquo;s filled with
sorrow over his parent&rsquo;s death and uncontrollable anxiety over not being
able to fully control the fire that constantly beckons and calls out to
him wanting him to &ldquo;play&rdquo;. He struggles with not only reigning in his
anger but also finding a place in the world. He longs for purpose. Then
there&rsquo;s Laney who we meet for the first time in Spark. Although her
first appearance is quick, she sure as heck makes quite the impression.
From the outside she look&rsquo;s meek, quiet, and shy or in other terms &ldquo;a
nerd&rdquo;. However, that is not the case. Although it takes her a while to
truly stand up for herself, we find out that she&rsquo;s incredibly smart and
strong all along; just needing that extra boost of confidence. Although
she doesn&rsquo;t really affect much of the Elemental storyline, she does
affect Gabriel&rsquo;s. Once again I am satisfied yet still thirsting for the
next Elemental book. If you have or plan on starting this series make
sure to checkout the novellas as well. They&rsquo;re just as good as the
full-length novels!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Just as great as the first book! Loved it!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Most amazing book ever!! Everyone should read this book and the rest of the series!!! Cant wait for the next one to come out!!

Bukgoddess

More than 1 year ago

Feel the Heat!
Brigid Kemmerer returns with a &ldquo;burner&rdquo; of a book in the second installment of her Young Adult &ldquo;Elemental&rdquo; series, Spark! Filled with heart wrenching emotion, this installment is a closer look into the Merrick family and peels back for us more of the layers that set the foundation of the secrets they all have sworn to protect. Spark is a page-turner of a story that leaves you wanting for more! Gabriel, the most troubled of all the Merrick brothers, born in the middle and the other half of a matched set of twins notwithstanding, finds himself caught up in an internal struggle to control the element to which he is bound. Gabriel holds in his possession the element of fire, while matching his personality to a T, (fiery and restless), the recent changes in the family dynamic leaves him striving to find his place. Unable to resist the unleashed power of his element, Gabriel finds himself helplessly dragged to places fraught with danger, while upon his response, this power will also choose to abandon him even as he heeds its siren call. Powerless to voice how his tentative control seems to be slipping through his fingers, the surprising alliance with the one person who chooses to help guide him is at somewhat comforting. Added to the fact that he is no longer able to switch places with his twin Nick as the need arises, Gabriel must now answer for his other hidden shortcomings. Layne Forrest, studious and sheltered and persecuted by her fellow students also has the unfortunate luck to be sitting next to Gabriel Merrick in math class one of the cutest boys in school; who somehow lately seems a bit different. All too soon, Layne will find out why this brooding stranger now fills the seat beside her and what she chooses to do with this knowledge could burn them both. I cannot wait to see where Brigid is going to lead us next!

Truly_Bookish

More than 1 year ago

A few months ago, I raved about Brigid Kemmerer&rsquo;s debut novel, Storm. I loved the characters and the cool Outsiders vibe I got from this book and have been really looking forward to the second book in the Elemental series, Spark. Guess what guys, Spark is even better than Storm!
I am a very character driven reader and the characters in Spark are fantastic. The plot centers around the four brothers who can control the elements: fire, air, water and earth, and a fifth boy who controls all four elements plus spirit. I love how Kemmerer keeps the focus on the boys&rsquo; family dynamics and their friendships. Some of my favorite parts of this book were Gabriel&rsquo;s interactions with his brothers.
And speaking of characters, I love Gabriel! True to his fire element, Gabriel is a sarcastic hot head with major issues but Kemmerer makes it work so well. Gabriel is officially one of my favorite book boys for the year! There is romance in Spark and it is sweet, perfect and like everything else about this book, very well developed. While I thought Becca was a decent female lead in Storm, I love Layne in Spark!
Spark is fast paced and with a different enough focus from Storm to make it fresh even though it is the second book in the series. If you are looking for a paranormal novel that&rsquo;s fresh, funny, fun, well written with awesome character development and a great plot, Spark (and the Elemental series) is for you.
I cannot wait to read Spirit, the next book in the series which comes out in May 2013, and pretty much anything else Brigid Kemmerer writes!
Content: Heavy profanity, underage drinking, bullying, sexual assault, kissing and violence. More appropriate for older/more mature teens and adults.

majibookshelf

More than 1 year ago

Spark by Brigid Kemmerer is amazing. Not just amazing, but a-ma-zing. I
liked Storm, but Storm was nothing compared to Spark. This book was
action packed in every page, and just so addicting! In Spark, the main
protagonist is a different Merrick brother, and this time it's Gaberiel.
Gaberiel has the fire element, and actually likes to play with it. In
this book, Gaberiel is a pretty tough guy. I don't know what to expect
from him, and I really think he's got a bad temper. Gets upset pretty
easily, and anything can lead to a fight with him. Despite all those
qualities, he's a great guy as well! I feel like Brigid portrayed a
teenage guy pretty well. He had a very strong act from the outside, but
he's actually very nice from the inside. Gaberiel really cares about the
people around him, but because he doesn't want to show that he cares, he
messes everything up with his brothers and friends. It was awesome that
for once, the &quot;cool&quot; guy develops an interest with the class
&quot;nerd&quot;. I found that very different, but interesting to read!
What I really liked in this book, that unlike Storm, everything was
clear to me. I was never confused, and there was never any boring part!
The fights the brothers had with each other were very understandable. I
have siblings and I can understand how anything can piss you off. I
really liked the relationship between Layne and Gaberiel. Layne is the
nerd, while Gaberiel is the jock, and you don't really see these type of
people together. Even though at times it might have felt a bit draggy,
it was still really cute. While reading, nothing really felt annoying or
out of place. The flow was fantastic, and I really want to give a big
clap to Brigid for writing such a great novel! Overall, I liked that the
book wasn't concentrated on the magic elements a lot, and that made the
book balanced. Sometimes to much fantasy just makes me all confused, so
I'm thankful for that not happening. I loved every single character in
this book, and everything felt so realistic and believable. It felt like
all the characters were real! If you haven't started The Elemental
Series yet, you really should, because they will not disappoint you! I
really do recommend this to all young adult readers! A very beautiful,
action packed, story that will leave you wanting more!

Anonymous

9 days ago

By

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

At first,not as good as the first book, I'm not that thrilled about teen angst and teenage fumblings. But once we got past that I enjoyed it very much. I love the twists and turns and that the good guys stay true,even when it's questionable. Now I have to move on to the next one!?

SleepDreamWrite

More than 1 year ago

So its been a while since I read the first one. But I really liked it. After reading this one, I think I like this one more. And the couple of Gabriel and Layne is probably one of my favorite book couples right now.
The writing and pace is just as good. And of course I want to read the next one obviously.

Anonymous

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More than 1 year ago

Good job! Keep up the good-no, great work!

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She soared above them, paying attention to nothing.

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More than 1 year ago

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More than 1 year ago

Spark is my fervoret book in this series. Gabriel is defenatly my favorite brother, he is funny and not afraid to play with fire (no pun intended). Plus a sweetheart when he whants to be. Though I hate how the others say his element is to dageres to use or control when thay can all be serounded by there elements when ever thay want, it gust seems unfair. Also the story itself is very enjoyable and I look ford to read more storys of these extrordenary brothers.

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